Thursday, July 07, 2011

A costly affair

I bumped into an old friend at a party a few days ago. He was a fellow journalist then. The last time I checked, which was five years ago, he was doing pretty well for himself — had a house in a Mumbai suburb, a Honda City and to top it all, a pretty wife. I always thought what else could he ask for? However, when we started chatting, he told me that he had left the profession four years ago and done an MBA from a noted B-school and is now a vice-president at a well-known MNC.
This sounds even better. But age-old acquaintance and single malt made him confess that he is fighting a legal separation battle with his wife and is not happy with the job as he misses the charm and excitement of journalism. I told him I am sorry about his wife but asked what made him leave the profession as he was doing pretty well. He replied, “Money, what else?” Then he suddenly started bragging about his new acquisitions — he had graduated to a bigger home and a bigger car, Honda Accord. But now, instead of one, he had two home loans, two car loans and an educational loan (for his MBA). I didn’t know whether I should be happy for him or sad, but wished him all the best in life. No matter how much we claim to have evolved in terms of our needs and desires, they always remain the same — it only changes in degree.
As you struggle your way up, the desire changes from a scooter to a motorbike to a hatchback to a sedan; in my friend’s case City to Accord, and then may be convertibles or coupes. But, at the end of the day, it remains a means to take you to the workplace and back, and may be a weekend escapade. Even in terms of home, as you climb up, you will add another bedroom and may be even another home, just like my friend did, but still end up sleeping in one room in one home.
It is unfortunate that when we join the rat race for making moolah, we don’t even have time to think whether it is worth it.
Mahul Brahma

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